Tuesday, November 4, 2008

Election Night Still Life

On television I see jubilant crowds in Times Square.The news says We go now to Seattle.Cue bird's-eye shot of streets packed with people taking in the historic moment.I go outside to photograph what a democratic victory looks like in a red state...

Still life of leaf, puddle, and truck, November 4, 2008 (click on any of the photos to enlarge)Still life of truck, November 4, 2008Still life of leaf, November 4, 2008

I would much rather be in a large city right now. I love the energy of a crowd. When in Paris, I always go to the demonstrations to take photos. I have been lucky enough to be in Paris for the past two presidential elections.

But here I am in the quiet of Utah, where all but two elementary school students (my son, Lucas, tells me) "voted" for McCain, the streets are vacant.

Lately, I have been watching a lot of bleak, poetic Russian films by Tarkovsky. My photos of the empty, wet streets were no doubt influenced by his stark aesthetic.

There are no crowds to photograph here. But instead, the lone leaf or the isolated truck stood out to me as a different kind of still life.

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About Me

I am a father of three, a professor, a photographer, a distractable dilettante, an unrepentant but well-intentioned maverick, an idea man who thinks when he should be sleeping, and a people person who can't seem to remember anyone's name.

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